Chapter 33
Darren was in themiddle of an arm-wrestling brawl with Matt by the E-Unit when their audience let out a cheer of joy, effectively distracting Matt and making Darren’s win a walk in the park.
“Oi, Darren, that’s not fair, man,” Matt complained, pouting his lips.
“Not my fault your head’s not in the game,” Darren defended, shrugging when Matt made puppy eyes at him.
Plastering on a shit-eating grin, his friend shook his head. “Yer wouldn’t be too if ya saw who’s coming this way.”
Darren whipped his head back just in time to see Nyle and a few other inmates ganging up on Aiden and showering him with thanks for the quick repairs. Aiden smiled at them, though it looked a little strained, like he was forcing himself more than usual and couldn’t quite pull it off. Tossing a couple comments back at the men,he approached the table Darren and Matt had claimed, stopping a few meters from them.
“Mr. Howe,” he said, exhaling a little sharply at the end. His tone was strange too, lacking that bite Darren had become adept at picking out. “I need a few moments of—” He made an awkward pause, his fake smile wavering for a heartbeat. “Your time.”
A foreboding feeling clutched Darren’s stomach. Inspections usually took two to three hours on average, so why was Aiden back so quickly? And why was he wearing an oversized long coat instead of his vest all of a sudden? His hair was messier too, like he’d rolled out of bed and brushed it back without bothering to look in the mirror…But it had looked fine earlier.
Something wasn’t right.
“Mr. Howe?” Aiden said with a note of urgency. He sought out Darren’s gaze, pressing his brows together.
“Yes, of course, warden.” Darren pushed his chair back and hopped to his feet. He started toward the ramp but had to slow down to match Aiden’s pace. There was a sway in his otherwise graceful gait and, upon a closer look, his jaw was clenched and his eyes were a little unfocused.
Another group of inmates crowded them as they made their way across the field, taking their turn to thank Aiden for the amazing recreational space and suggesting what other areas of the prison he should do next, unaware that after today he wasn’t going to be the warden anymore. A fleeting thought about who Central were going to send as a substitute crossed Darren’s mind, but it disappeared the moment Aiden tossed a witty remark at one of the men. Like earlier, the tart sharpness just wasn’t there.
Darren led the way up the ramp, waiting until the people and the yelling were behind them before he threwa mocking comment Aiden’s way. “I didn’t take you for the goth type.”
Aiden shot him a sideways glare but didn’t say anything. His focus shifted to the corridor and when they were about to turn the corner, he paused and popped his head around as if to check that it was clear. Then he practically jogged over to the warden’s office, Darren hot on his heels.
The moment the door shut behind them, the fake calmness drained from Aiden’s face as he let out a strained grunt. Possible reasons behind it flooded Darren’s mind, but he didn’t even get to pick one, everything clicking in place when Aiden took off the black coat. Darren’s eyes zeroed in on the blood-stained shirt first and then on the gunshot wound on Aiden’s left arm. Fear took hold of his insides.Why was Aiden hurt? Why was there blood on his clothes?He grabbed Aiden’s non-injured right arm and shoved the man against the desk.
“Easy, Howe!” Aiden hissed, gritting teeth in obvious pain. “Shit. Careful.”
“Kesley—” Darren practically growled, cutting himself off so he could take a few calming breaths. “What the fuck happened?” he accused, not quite able to control his tone.
“I enjoyed a lovely chat over tea and biscuits with two friendly gentlemen,” Aiden said flatly, scowling in exasperation. “What does itfuckinglook like?”
Like Aiden had been through Hell and had barely made it back. Darren forced himself to take two more deep inhales. He didn’t know why he was kind of losing it just at the sight of a little blood, but he really needed to keep it together, because shit had clearly gone south.
“Marcus sent someone after you,” he concluded once he had himself under control again.
Marcus had sent someone and now Aiden was hurt.
Darren’s head pulsated and his hands twitched, balling into fists. He was finding it hard to stay still, the sudden urge to make those responsible for Aiden’s state pay for what they’d done almost too strong to push down.
It surprised him, the intensity of his response, but he prevailed over it, if just barely.
Aiden turned his head to the side, teeth pressed into his bottom lip. “They came asking questions about Sara. Two men posing as inspectors. I don’t know how Marcus figured out I lied to him, but he did.”
Darren let the violent impulse pass, studying Aiden’s bleeding arm. “So you are saying you didn’t tell Marcus about her?”
Aiden snapped his attention forward, flaring his nostrils in indignation. “I told you I didn’t already! What do you take me for, Howe?” He shoved his shoulder into Darren and squirmed, cursing under his breath. “I’d never turn Sara in, not after what Marcus did to the Valrais…” he trailed off, likely realizing just what his words actually meant. Then he glared at his right shoulder. “Fuck! I think my shoulder might be dislocated.”
Darren wrapped his fingers around Aiden’s forearm, tugging on it gently. Whatever was going on, the injuries needed treating first. “Let me have a look.”
“It’s fine.”
“It sure as hell doesn’t look fine to me, Kesley,” he countered, making his point by ripping another groan out of Aiden when he pulled more insistently.
Aiden scowled at him, but didn’t rebut him. He also didn’t bother to correct Darren for dropping the ‘warden’. “It can wait. Probably. Fuck!” His swearing wasaimed at more than just the pain. “I need your… help, Howe. I need to disappear. Marcus won’t let me walk away from this.”
